A.N. A pretty quick update, considering my usual time.
Anyways, full stuff at the end. And this chapter doesn't have much action, which is why I'm really glad I got this out so quickly. It does, however, have a lot of information, and of stuff to come.
Enjoy!
Sonic, Manic, Rob, Bunnie, and Antoine stopped at the edge of the woods. From there, their was a large clearing, and Blaze's castle stood tall and proud. Several guards were on lookout, but they did not see the small group hiding in the trees.
"So, weez jus' walk up, then, non?" Antoine wondered, eyeing the guards, "You are un ami of ze princess, non?"
"Well…yah…" Sonic said, "Listen, I'll go on ahead, you guys wait until I say it's okay."
With that, Sonic stepped out of the trees, jogging to the castle.
As soon as he got to the castle, he froze, Blaze's guards aiming their guns at him with a wary position.
"Uhhh…hey…" Sonic said, not having the faintest clue what the correct thing to do in this situation was, "It's me…Sonic…I…need to talk to Blaze…"
The guards eyed each other. Not an hour ago, another blue hedgehog claiming to be Sonic had tricked them, taken the Sol Emerald, and left Blaze in a state of extreme emotional distress. She hadn't left her room…
"…Can you prove it?" one of the guards called down to him.
"Yah!" Sonic shouted, "Ask me anything!"
The guards paused, then consulted amongst one another, then the one who spoke earlier called down to him again, "Who is the Knight that is teaching you how to use a sword?"
"Sir Connery!" Sonic called back, "What's with this anyways?"
Another collective pause, and then the guards stepped back, as Sir Connery himself appeared, glaring down at Sonic with a steadfast eye. Sonic returned the look.
"Look…I really need to talk to Blaze…I have a lot of important stuff to tell her…" Sonic pleaded. So many things to tell her…
"That is the real Sonic…" Connery said softly to the guards, and then spoke louder, "Welcome back, Sir Sonic! Before you talk to Princess Blaze, there are a few things I need to talk to you about…"
Sonic nodded, tapping his foot impatiently, "Okay…And listen…I met some friends…Can they come in too?" He glanced back to the trees. Connery followed his glance.
"Any friends of Sonic are welcome here," Sir Connery stated, then made his way down to the gate, which was beginning to open.
Sonic sighed softly, then turning, waving his arms while shouting, "Alright guys, you can come!"
The gate lowered as the other four got to the front. Manic looked extremely nervous, as Sir Connery stepped forward, glaring at the green hedgehog.
"Sir Sonic…" Connery said, "I must ask you why you wish to bring an enemy of ours into our walls…"
"He's my brother…" Sonic answered, glancing from the horse to the fellow hedgehog, "Long story short, I found someone who was able to give me the power to control my darkness. Silver, Manic, and Tails found me, because of they were worried about me going out of control. I was able to prove to them that I could control myself, and we're hoping now to hammer out a peace treaty."
Connery paused, looking directly into Sonic's eyes, thinking carefully.
After a full minute of silence, he sighed, "Fine then…They can wait in the main hall as I talk to you. I shall send for Armedeus, and he can discuss with them about the beginnings of a treaty…He is in charge of the kingdom for now…"
Sonic opened his mouth to pose a few questions, but Connery stopped him, "It will be explained…"
Sonic nodded, and the five followed Connery inside…
"Blaze has been…Well…" Connery paused, searching for the right word, "Indisposed, as of late. General Amadeus had taken to watching over the kingdom, as is custom."
"Because of me…" Sonic sighed, "Whatever I did as Dark Sonic…"
"Not just that," Sir Connery answered, "She had been holding up decently until, as bad luck would have it, a couple hours before your arrival…There was…an incident…"
Connery glanced to Sonic, thinking on how to continue exactly, "Do you have any other brothers?"
"Not that I know of…" Sonic answered, "I have a sister I haven't met yet though."
The horse knight frowned at this, and decided to just get on with it, "A being that looked exactly like you appeared at the castles gates a few hours ago. He claimed to be you…He then proceeded to trick Blaze, and stole our Sol Emerald…He almost killed Princess Blaze as well. She managed, however, to see through his ruse, though it was not good enough. This…scourge, then escaped from the guards and left, taking the Sol Emerald with him."
Sonic froze at that, his eyes widening, looking up to the taller Mobian, "What? Oh no…That's not good…"
He then closed his eyes, shaking his head, "Ugh…I want to see Blaze…But…I need to talk to Merlin. Now."
Manic looked at the aged kitsune in front of him, and gulped. This guy was intimidating, staring at Manic with his one eye, the other covered in an eye patch.
"I nearly killed this guy's kid, took said kid hostage, and now we're in talks for a peace treaty…" Manic thought to himself, looking at the map on the table, showing the two kingdoms. Blaze's was much smaller, reduced to the castle, and some surrounding farm lands.
"We'd like the land that was taken back from us," Amadeus began, making a circle with a crude pencil, indicating the former borders of the two kingdoms, "Along with any of our prisoners of war free."
"I can't vouch for you getting back your entire land…" Manic said, "Being as Prince Silver would have to approve that, but I'm pretty confident you'll get some back, and excluding any P.O.W.s that were…exceptionally hostile, I can get you the prisoners. In fact, I think everyone we have can be freed. Your men were very well disciplined. I made sure to treat them well."
Amadeus nodded, "Good…I also offer the same to you. Our prisoners from your side will be released back to your care."
He then sighed, looking at the map, "The matter of the land will be tricky business…"
"Yah…" Manic said, "It's my personal opinion that Prince Silver won't give up any land, but, I think Lady Sonia and I can talk him into it. Let us broach it to him. He'll be more willing to hear it out then."
Amadeus nodded approval at this plan as well, "Fair enough."
"Excuse me…" another voice, that of Rob, who was watching them, spoke up, "If land is the problem, why not share it?"
"Share it?" both Manic and Amadeus wondered, looking to Rob, who had a stoic expression on his face.
"Where I am from, Eggman-Nega's land, we have a different form of 'government.' We are split into separate factions, but we help out each other when needed, and we have one person who everyone agrees to. He or she is not a king however, as they last in that position only for as long as the others wish it," Rob explained, "It's imperfect, yes, and it's difficult to keep exact tabs, considering our situation, but it looks like here might be a place to much more easily accomplish this…"
Manic paused, mulling this thought over, while Amadeus' one eye widened in what looked like delight.
"You talk of a democracy!" Amadeus said, excitement in his voice, "Yes…That idea seems very well thought of."
He glanced down to the map again, and began to make several lines, staying in where the reaches of Blaze's kingdom had been before the war started.
"We can make a new country…" Amadeus said, "Born from several fractions, acting as a whole…"
Manic looked at the map, then began making lines on it as well, similar to Amadeus had done, but staying in Silver's kingdom.
"Yah…" Manic said, "War will be prevented, as everyone is the same country…And people can keep a sense of community…All for one, and one for all."
"Obviously, royalty will have to be preserved in some fashion," Amadeus sighed, "It is simply to big a leap for many."
"Have a console," Rob spoke up again, "Members selected through votes from the areas, and the royalty of these two kingdoms will be the head of this console, with, say, the power to overturn a rule passed by the console."
"Of course!" Amadeus said, a grin on his face, "Of course, that veto will be able to be overturned by a significant majority…"
Merlin sat down, Sonic preferring to stand. Sonic had a few things to ask…and to tell, Merlin.
"It's good to see you back…" Merlin said, then frowned, "What is wrong?"
"A lot of things…" Sonic answered, "You apparently sealed a demon that looked just like me about sixteen or so years ago, with the help of a brown hedgehog named Henry."
"I did…" Merlin answered, looking at Sonic, "How do you know this?"
"Because I met Henry," the Blue Blur stated, staring right back at Merlin, "He told me what happened…About the thing that infected me, took my form…You sealed it away, then wiped my memory and took me to the other world…And Henry, who had taken my spirit form, was unable to reunite with me…Leaving me incomplete…"
Merlin sighed, his eyes drooping downwards, "I did what I had to do for the survival of the kingdoms…Of everyone else."
"Yah, well…Now that dark me is loose," Sonic said, eyes burning. His fur bristled slightly, and he paused, closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths. No…No need to go Were-Sonic…
"At least meeting Henry gave me control of the darkness that was put in me," Sonic sighed, then turned away from Merlin, heading for the door, "We're going to have to find this 'other me' and stop him…I'll need to know how. But right now, I need to talk to Blaze."
Silver looked to Sonia and Tails, the two sharing a short glance, then back to the prince.
"Alright…We'll head to Blaze's castle, and we'll tell them what happened," Silver said, focusing as golden energy glow around him, "Everything is fine here for now. I doubt Metal Sonic will return, as he already has the Sol Emeralds we had. Nothing else for him to take."
Super Silver focused his energies, disappearing with Sonia and Tails in a flash of light, with a Chaos Control.
The door creaked up slowly, the room was plunged in darkness, and all Sonic heard was a sniffling coming from the bed. He cringed at the noise, stepping in slowly.
"Who's there?" a voice from the bed cried out. Blaze… "If it's you Rosemary, I'm fine…Just leave me be…"
"You don't sound fine…" Sonic said softly, "And it's me…Sonic…"
There was a flash of fire from the head, illuminating the room. Blaze saw Sonic by the door, making no sign to go over to her. Not yet.
"…How can I be sure?" Blaze sniffed, glaring at him from tear strewn eyes. "Or that you won't…do that thing again…"
"I met someone…He tempered the darkness in me," Sonic answered, "I'll tell you the full story later…I can control the darkness in me now, use it for good…As for proving it's really me…"
He stretched out his hands, golden energy forming around him softly, creating a peaceful light and aura, "Search your feelings…You can tell…"
Blaze paused, her fire dying down as Super Sonic floated there peacefully. Her eyes darted about his form, feeling the calmness.
"…Sonic!" Blaze cried out, and in a flash, Sonic was by her side, out of Super form and holding the cat mobian.
"Ssshhhh…It's okay Blaze…I won't leave you again," Sonic said softly. Blaze began to cry, leaning into the hedgehog.
"I thought…I thought…" Blaze cried, "I can't…"
"It's okay…" Sonic answered, hugging Blaze tightly, "I have so much to tell you…Good news as well…"
Blaze smiled, looking up at him, and then frowned, looking downwards, "There's…something you also need to know…"
"I ask you to start working out a peace treaty, and you come up with a whole new country?" Silver shouted, looking at Manic who was pointing to a map that he and Amadeus had drawn on.
"Well, sorta," Manic said, "General Amadeus and Rob O' the Hedge came up with most of it."
Silver grumbled, performing a face palm. Next to him, Sonia smiled.
"I think that's a great idea, actually," Sonia spoke up, "It is rather…unorthodox, and there's no precedence for it, but…"
"Actually…" now General Amadeus stood up, a smile on his face, "There is precedence for this, so to speak. Several historical documents point to a possible democratic system similar to this that was in place before, but it ended up still giving to much power to the royalty, which then crumbled into what we have today…Additionally, there is a whole other world with a much more democratic government then we have…The one that Sonic and Tails came back to us from."
Silver sighed, looking at the map. He had to admit, it made sense…It would help provide for peace…Which is what his overall plan for this war had been. To unite everyone under one flag. Still, the idea of being 'together, but apart' seemed odd.
"It…seems reasonable, in a way," Silver answered, "But where would our capitol be?"
"Here," Manic answered, pointing to roughly the center of the map, straddling the lines of Blaze's and Silver's kingdoms. "This area is the most neutral, plus the center, more or less. There are currently only a handful of small villagers there, but together, we can definitely build a new striving city…And I bet that Tails kid can help us out with more modern buildings. It'll be the next plunge into the future."
Silver stood up, stepping forward and looking at the map. He reached out and ran his fingers along the lines.
"And what will we do about Eggman-Nega? He is a common threat…He might attack us as we are reorganizing…"
"I can answer that," Rob said, stepping forward now, "As such, I am currently the acting leader of most, if not all, of the current inhabitants of Eggman-Nega's land. If we band our forces together, we can help keep him off…Granted that you provide us with supplies, arms, and men, if possible.
"In addition, I formally request for us to become part of your kingdom as well, and assist in the nation making. Once this new nation is built, we can use all of our forces to take out Eggman-Nega once and for all, and have a truly united world."
Silver grinned at the idea, "You will certainly have help from my army."
"As from us," Amadeus answered.
"No," Rob said, shaking his head, gaining a wondering look from those in the room, "If we are truly going to be united, it will not be Silver's Army, Blaze's Army, and my Army acting together. It will be the Nation's Army, acting as one."
There was quiet in the room as those in it mulled over what Rob had said. The Nation's army…
"So is that what we're calling ourselves?" Manic wondered, breaking the silence, "The Nation?"
"Good a name as any," Sonia shrugged.
Manic grinned, and pulled out his pencil, crossing out the names of the kingdoms, and put at the top, in large letters…
The Nation.
A.N. Best laid plans of mice and men.
Okay! Chaotic Memories will most likely be going on a hiatus for right now. Yes, I'm leaving you with an evil cliffhanger of what Blaze needs to tell Sonic. Hah.
BUT…Chaotic Memories is far from done. I just need to start up the companion piece, Chaotic Relations and have some adventures there, to help finally reveal Metal Sonic's final, ultimate plan.
So keep your eyes peeled for Chaotic Relations. I hopefully will have the first chapter out within the week, but, remember my track record on this stuff.
Chaotic Relations will start roughly where Chaotic Power left off…Shadow and Amy are on their honeymoon, when circumstances, well…you'll find out what I have planned.
Also, it MIGHT be possible that I'll have another chapter of Chaotic Memories, but it'll most likely be a time skip chapter, and not to overly detailed.
So hold unto your hats readers! We've barely begun this crazy ride.
